The Traveling Widower

Tag: wildlife

  • Travel Photography – A Slightly Different Focus

    A man with gray hair holds a smartphone and a camera near a shoreline, surrounded by wildlife including a brown bear, a moose, a puffin, and a bald eagle. A sign indicating 'Alaska Coastal Wildlife Refuge' is visible among the trees and mountains in the background.
    Phone or camera….which should I use?

    July 14, 2026

    I’ve been back for a couple of weeks now, and I’m finally over the cold (or whatever) I caught on the Iceland trip. I’m glad the worst of it came after I got home. That would have been miserable on the trip for myself, and everyone else on the trip. Yuck – sharing a bus with someone performing volcanic sneezes would not have been pleasant. 

    Since I’ve been home, I’ve managed to go through all the photos and videos I shot on the trip, and I’ve been giving some thought on my approach for upcoming trips. I did have a plan of sorts for Iceland photography – I brought only one of the Sony A7’s, along with just two lenses, the 25-200 for everyday/landscapes, and the 50-400 for wildlife. I knew that there would only be a limited number of opportunities for wildlife, and that most of the photography would be landscapes and waterfalls. There were also two underground activities – the volcano and lava tube, and was planning to just use the Pixel phone and GoPro for those. That was the plan at least…seemed pretty good.

    As it turned out, I used my phone for the majority of the images I captured. It rained quite a bit, sometimes very hard, and it just did not make sense to use the Sony with the rain cover, especially if there was hiking and scrambling involved. I came close to a bad fall while trying to pick my way through some slick rocks, while holding the camera in one hand and my phone in the other. That was one close call too many 

    I did carry the camera along on most hikes in the new (and wonderful) Think Tank sling bag that I bought before the trip, but quite frankly, I still used my phone most of the time – it was a lot easier to pull it out of my pocket to snap a shot when we stopped for a breather. I also used the new GoPro camera quite a bit since it fit in my jacket pocket. The only times I relied on the Sony camera were for wildlife related activities, as I had planned. 

    Fast forward (forward or backward…I’m not sure which direction) to a week or so ago – I had a photo club competition coming up, and started going through my most recent photos to find something to submit. I reviewed the collections I made from Iceland, and came to a rather depressing conclusion – I had a lot of really nice shots of puffins and whale tales, interesting ones from the volcanic related features we visited/hiked, and some fantastic images of waterfalls but nothing that would be judged favorably in competition. I wound up submitting a penguin colony image, and one from the birds of prey workshop I attended a few months ago – neither one did particularly well. What really bothered me was that one of the competition winners was a beautiful, perfectly composed shot of a church in….. Iceland. What am I doing wrong?

    No, I did not sell my cameras, and take up a new hobby. I did think about it for a minute though. What I realized instead, was that I need to spend even more time setting my expectations for each trip – for example, am I just focusing on capturing photos to support the blog stories – composition and perfect settings are not as important, and in most cases, using the phone makes more sense. Did I really need to lug the Sony along on the “Inside the Volcano” hike? Nah….lot’s of strange and spectacular pictures, great for the blog or a travel slide show, but nothing worth spending time curating for competition. So where should I have been more serious about capturing competition worthy images? The Heritage Museum would have been a good choice – the old church with a great background, or spending more time looking around the sod houses. Maybe the old cathedral at Holar, or some of the buildings on Hrisey. There were a few spots where I could have worked on composing a better image. I really do  need to learn more about city photography – there were probably a lot of opportunities with the interesting buildings and murals in Reykjavik, and I had plenty of time on my own before the group arrived. And I did have some wildlife photo opportunities – birding in Myvatn, and the whales and the puffins. But one thing I have learned is that static “portrait” shots of animals do not do well in competition. Judges are looking for images that tell a story. It is not always so easy to work on photo composition in the field, especially when you are jammed into a small boat, or rushed on a hike. I guess the bottom line is that I have to make up my mind as a trip progresses, on whether I’m taking photos for blog stories or to share on Facebook and Instagram, or to create images to curate for competition. 

    So with my latest self-appraisal and plan for refocusing my photographic efforts, what should I be looking for on my next trip to Kodiak Island and Anchorage? The town of Kodiak has a lot of potential photo ops, just by wandering around the two harbors – wildlife (otters!! ) and a lot of interesting buildings and fishing boats. It might be a good place to work on my street photography, so I may just pack the long lens in my sling bag, and be more selective on what I shoot as I wander around. I’ve got a full day on my own before the tour group shows up.

    The Grizzly Bear trip will be all about wildlife – I will be focused on getting action shots of the bears, landscape shots from the boat, and whatever other wildlife we see – Bald Eagles, Otters, Puffins (yay!!!!), and maybe even whales. This will probably be four days of using the Sony A7, and the phone will stay in my pocket. I probably will not bother with the GoPro on this trip.

    The three days in Anchorage will be a mix of wildlife (moose!!!) and extreme landscape photography – I’ve scheduled a small plane tour around Denali. I’ll probably be taking some shots with the phone, but the Sony with a wide angle lens will be my primary. I’ve seen some spectacular photos taken from these flights, but that all depends on the weather and lighting. I’m going to do some research before I go so I have some idea on what to focus on, and the best way to photograph from a small plane.

    So once again I have a plan. This trip will also be way different than the Iceland trip, since it is targeted towards photographers – no rushing to grab a camera and fire off a few images. We will be setting up in a group for safety, sitting on our orange buckets, while the bears do their thing. It’s not like I’ll be asking them to pose for a shot. Hopefully they will be cooperative….and not get too close. Or too hungry. 

    And speaking of my upcoming trip to the land of giant bears, I decided that I absolutely, positively need to enlarge my collection of outdoor gear, and need to travel to what is arguably the adventure outfitter mecca of the West – Denver. Aside from having the second largest REI flagship store, which I have written about in the blog, most every major manufacturer has a store there – Patagonia, North Face, Arc!teryx, Kuhl, Black Diamond, Fjallraven and many smaller companies, are in one or two locations around Denver.  I’m planning to bring a large suitcase. I’ll stay away from the camera stores though – I’ve done enough damage this year.  

    Peace

  • A Birds of Prey Photo Workshop

    Close-up of a snowy owl with striking orange eyes and detailed feather patterns, set against a blurred green background.

    May 30th, 2026

    A few months ago, I had signed up for a three part workshop on photographing birds of prey (eagles, hawks, owls, etc) through a local camera store (Mike’s Camera). Part 1 was a live class (on Zoom) with an instructor who specializes in bird photography, followed up by a photo session at a local falconry organization – four hours photographing a variety of birds which were either rescued and rehabilitated, or were raised specifically for falconry. The last part of the worksho was another session with the instructor, to review our best images from the photo shoot. 

    The initial class was great – I learned quite a bit on the best camera settings for photographing birds in flight ( I have to stop using “shooting”, especially with animals and of course, people) as well as some features of my Sony A7R which I had not used yet. The live photo session was orignally scheduled for the following week, but was rained out – the birds don’t particularly enjoy flying in heavy rain, nor do any of the attendees want to stand out in the rain with their expensive gear. The session was rescheduled to May 29…yesterday. And it was worth the wait. 

    West Coast Falconry

    A fenced enclosure containing several birds of prey, including hawks, sitting on platforms covered with artificial grass and rocks. Water dishes are placed around the area, and a building with multiple doors is visible in the background.
    Bird pen with a bunch of hawks hanging around

    The falconry facility is located in the foothills east of Marysville, an hour or so drive north of Sacramento. Their website describes the organization as “a resource for a full range of hands-on raptor and falconry classes and services”, which includes educational opportunities to learn about the birds and falconry as well as workshops for photography groups. They are located in a beautiful wooded, hilly area, and have a variety of hawks, falcons and owls, all of which are well fed and maintained by the owner and staff. Some of these are rescue birds, some raised for falconry, and a few wild birds as well. The handlers are all experienced falconers, and manage the workshops so that the birds are never stressed or overworked. It’s all about the birds at this place. It takes a lot of time and patience to work with these wild creatures, and the handlers have gained the trust of the birds. That’s a good thing – the big birds have extremely large, sharp talons and can tear their prey apart with their beaks. Handle with care.

    Once our group arrived and set up their gear (lots of serious photographers), we were introduced to the owner and handlers, and did some static shots of a really cute, immature falcon. 

    A hawk perched on a hand wearing a black glove, surrounded by trees and greenery.
    A woman wearing a red hoodie stands outside holding a bird of prey on her gloved arm, with a 35 MPH speed limit sign visible in the background.
    Close-up of a falcon with a yellow beak and striking yellow eyes, set against a blurred natural background.
    Close-up of a young bird of prey with a brown and white patterned feather texture and large dark eyes.
    A close-up of a brown and white speckled bird with a rounded head and distinctive facial features, set against a dark background.

    We then headed off up a hill for a working session with a Harris Hawk – a big, beautiful bird.

    The handlers use food as the lure to get the birds to either perch somewhere for static shots, or to get them to fly up or down an open area on the hill side. The group then spreads out along the flight path, and does their best to try and get the bird in flight. You basically set your camera for the highest possible shutter speed, and frames per second, point where you want to start capturing and image, and then hope for the best. The Harris Hawk was pretty slow, but still hard to capture in flight and get a sharp image especially in relatively low light conditions (very cloudy). But it was fun either way.

    A person standing in a field with a hawk spreading its wings, showcasing its feathers. The background consists of grass and sparse trees.
    Close-up of a hawk with a sharp beak and intense yellow eyes against a blurred background.
    A close-up of a hawk perched on a wooden platform, showing its brown plumage and yellow beak against a blurred green background.
    A hawk in flight above a grassy field, with a wooden log in the foreground.

    The next bird they brought out was more of a challenge to photograph – an Aplomado Falcon. Beautiful bird, but really fast. The handler said the bird comes into their glove sometimes at 30MPH. 

    A bird of prey perched on a weathered wooden stump in a grassy field.
    A falcon in flight over dry grassland, showcasing its distinctive features and keen expression.

    The next three birds they brought out were for mostly static shots. The birds were tethered to a line, which allowed them fly a bit around the rock outcrop. First was a European Eagle Owl – unbelievably large, beautiful owl.

    A majestic owl perched on a rocky surface, showcasing its detailed feathers and striking orange eyes.
    A close-up of a white owl perched on a rocky surface, showcasing its striking orange eyes and patterned feathers.

    They followed that one up with my favorite bird- a little Eastern Screech Owl. We have the Western version in the nature areas behind my house – you never see them since they are tiny and blend in with the trees, but their call is this cute sort of chortle. My wife loved to hear them at night. 

    Close-up of a brown owl with striking yellow eyes and detailed feather patterns, perched in a natural setting.
    A close-up of a camouflaged owl perched on a moss-covered rock, with yellow eyes and feathers blending into the natural surroundings.
    A close-up of a brown and gray owl perched on a textured tree trunk, surrounded by lichen and leaves.

    The last “display” birds were another hawk, and some type of eagle….I think. Whatever…it was huge. I think I was getting tired of standing and holding the camera by then.

    A man in a hoodie stands outdoors, holding a golden eagle on his gloved arm amidst a wooded area.

    We wrapped up the day with selfie shots with one of the birds ($20…which goes to buy food for the birds). I chose the falcon. Less chance of having my nose torn off. 

    An older man wearing sunglasses and a blue cap is holding a bird of prey, a falcon, on his glove. The background features purple foliage.
    Me and a new friend

    Overall, a really enjoyable morning, and a great learning experience as well – most of my static shots and close-ups came out the way I wanted them. What did not work was getting crisp shots of the birds in flight – you need a fast lens if you are photographing fast moving objects in relatively low light conditions. I opted for travel weight when I bought the two long lenses, and you give up a stop or two for the lighter, less expensive lenses. Maybe I’ll invest in a really good long lens someday. And then hire someone to carry it for me. 

    One sad note on West Coast Falconry – they had a break-in recently by an animal activist group. The facilities were heavily vandalized, and they released eleven of the birds. Fortunately, most of the birds stayed close to “home”, and were safely retrieved. In my opinion, the activist  group does not seem to understand that most of these animals have never had to fend for themselves in the wild since they were bred in captivity. They are well fed and taken care of by the staff, and most live much longer that they would in the wild.